
New Brunswick—home to a designated New Jersey Transit Village around the New Brunswick Station—is transforming into a thriving hub of innovation. Transit Village designations by the New Jersey Department of Transportation reflect a strong commitment to creating vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods centered around transit facilities. New Brunswick actively fosters smart growth, diverse land uses, and a robust residential core. This transformation is reshaping the city’s urban landscape and signifies a major investment in New Jersey’s health and life sciences sector.
Driving this transformation is the ambitious HELIX project, the largest health and science investment in the state’s history. Known as the Health + Life Science Exchange, HELIX will bring together public, private, and academic sectors to foster collaboration. Situated near key institutions like Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Rutgers University, and the multinational corporation Johnson & Johnson, and with its proximity to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., HELIX will position New Brunswick as a focal point for cutting-edge innovation in health and life sciences.
HELIX Planning and Funding
When completed, HELIX will encompass a three-building mixed-used development, comprising a total 1.5 million square feet of educational, workspace, laboratory, residential, retail, and meeting spaces on a 4.5-acre site.
The project is to be funded by a combination of resources, including a major award from the ASPIRE Program, a seven-year, $14 billion package of incentive programs from the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020 intended to encourage New Jersey job growth, property development and redevelopment, and community partnerships.
However, the project faced significant delays, and remained an empty construction site for five years while developers and partners worked out the funding and secured tenants. Despite these challenges, the process continued, with Rutgers University pledging $270 million toward the project’s research efforts, underscoring its role as a critical partner in the initiative. Other contributors include Hackensack Meridian Health, Middlesex County, and the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO). The estimated total cost of the HELIX project is $731 million, highlighting the scale and ambition of the transformative venture.
Phases of Development
The construction of HELIX is planned to unfold in three distinct phases:
H-1 Phase
This phase includes the development of approximately a 13-story, 574,000 square feet mixed-use structure. It will feature the New Jersey Innovation Hub. This facility will serve as a central component of the project, driving research, collaboration, and innovation across the health and life sciences sectors. The H-1 Phase of HELIX topped out in September 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2025.

H-2 Phase
The second phase of the project will be dedicated to Nokia Bell Labs. In December 2023, Nokia Bell Labs announced that it will move from its historic headquarters in Murray Hill, Union County, first occupied in 1941, to establish a new state-of-the-art-research and development (R&D) facility within the HELIX NJ development. Nokia Bell Labs will be the sole occupant of the 11-story structure that will provide over 350,000 square feet of office, lab, and research and development space. The H-2 Phase of HELIX is expected to be completed in 2028.
H-3 Phase
The proposed final phase of HELIX calls for the construction of a 42-story mixed-use building, which will include 220 housing units. This structure is designed to support the growing residential community and promote a balanced, live-work-play environment. The H-3 Phase of HELIX is expected to be completed in 2030.

Leveraging Transit Access
A key element of the HELIX project is its strategic location within a well-connected transit hub. Situated directly across Albany Street from New Brunswick Station, the site offers easy access to NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak Northeast Corridor rail services, with more than 90 NJ TRANSIT trains and 9 Amtrak trains departing daily. The area is also served by CoachUSA/Suburban Transit buses to midtown Manhattan, as well as FlixBus and OurBus services to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT and Middlesex County RIDE bus stops, along with four Rutgers University bus routes, are all located within a block of the HELIX site.
Improving facilities for transit riders is a key focus in enhancing New Brunswick’s Transit Village area. To support this, Governor Phil Murphy has allocated $49 million for renovations to the historic New Brunswick Station, aimed at enhancing functionality and overall appeal. This investment will help create a seamless transit experience, reducing reliance on cars while attracting businesses and residents to the area, and ultimately fostering economic growth.
The City is also expanding its network of bike lanes, promoting active transportation as a vital component of transit-friendly planning. In addition, a partnership between the City of New Brunswick, Highland Park Borough, and Rutgers University offers Veo scooters for rent from spring through fall, further supporting mobility and sustainable transportation.


Understanding the “Hub City”

An important commercial hub since colonial times, New Brunswick, nicknamed the “Hub City,” has gone through several eras of population growth and redevelopment, fed by immigration and innovation. Today, New Brunswick is home to nearly 56,000 residents as well as several thousand Rutgers students who reside on campus. Between 2000 and 2019, the city’s population grew by 15.2 percent (ACS 2000-2019). The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the metropolitan transportation organization for the region, projects the city’s population to grow to more than 69,000 by 2050.
New Brunswick is a minority-majority city, with one in five residents identifying as some other race, 15 percent as Black or African American, 9 percent as Asian, 8 percent as two or more races, and 45 percent as White. Since the 1960s, the city has been home to a growing Hispanic/Latino community. According to the American Community Survey, nearly 47 percent of city residents identify as Hispanic or Latino. Recognizing this population, in late 2022, New Brunswick became the site of the 53rd Mexican Consulate in the United States, and the first in New Jersey.
Housing Affordability and Livability
While the Transit Village Initiative has promoted economic benefits and job opportunities, New Brunswick faces significant challenges in ensuring housing affordability. Despite promises of affordable housing projects and rent control measures, progress has been slow. Moreover, the fourth round of affordable housing obligations assigned New Brunswick no prospective need for future affordable housing construction. According to the DCA’s calculations, the City is only required to rehabilitate its existing stock.

The emphasis on luxury developments and attracting a higher-income tax base—particularly from corporate and medical industries, as well as Rutgers students—has contributed to rising housing costs. This trend has left many long-term residents struggling with affordability, as the City’s efforts to provide sufficient affordable units have not kept pace with its rapid development.
In New Brunswick, 78 percent of housing units are renter-occupied compared to 36 percent statewide. Most recent residential building permits in the city have been granted for higher density multifamily projects. Since 2000, however, median rent in New Brunswick has increased by 20 percent, while household income for renters has decreased by nearly 7 percent when adjusted for inflation.
The affordability challenges in New Brunswick reflect a nationwide trend of rising rental costs coupled with stagnating wages for low-skilled and lower-income workers. These challenges are exacerbated by the city’s high proportion of renters and recent demographic changes. Addressing these issues requires increasing subsidized affordable rental units for low- and moderate-income households, as well as expanding homeownership opportunities through the development of more “missing middle” housing and owner-occupied multifamily housing.
Other Redevelopments and New Projects
In addition to HELIX, New Brunswick has multiple projects underway that will bring rental units, mixed-use space, and upgraded facilities to the city. While most upcoming housing projects seek to develop market-rate or luxury rental units, some feature affordable housing units, including one project that aims for 100 percent affordability. Similar to HELIX, many of these projects are located within a close proximity to New Brunswick Station, demonstrating the value that both the city and developers place on transit accessibility.
Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center
Construction began in mid-2021 on the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, situated at 210 Somerset Street, less than a half-mile from the New Brunswick Station. When it opens in early 2025, the facility will be New Jersey’s first freestanding cancer hospital and the $750 million, 12-story facility will bring together research, prevention, and clinical care under one roof. Developed by RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute, and the New Brunswick Development Corporation, it will offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, including advanced imaging, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.


11 Spring Street
In late 2023, the New Brunswick Planning Board approved a proposed high-rise development for 11 Spring Street, to replace an existing parking garage. The $120 million project, led by Boraie Development and designed by MHS Architecture, will feature a 330-unit mixed-use building with unit sizes ranging from studios to three-bedrooms. It will include 60 affordable housing units, a 1,718-square-foot retail space, and a 499-space parking garage. Originally planned as a 30-story structure, plans now call for 27-stories to be built. The project will be located at the corner of Spring and Church Streets, adjacent to HELIX and across from the New Brunswick Station.
Stirlingside Residences
In April 2024, The Community Builders (TCB), New Brunswick Housing Authority (NBHA), Middlesex County, and NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) broke ground on Stirlingside Residences, a 53-unit, 5-story affordable housing community. Located between Abeel and Neilson streets—near stops for NJ TRANSIT’s 815 and 818 bus routes and about half a mile from New Brunswick Station—the development will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, with six units reserved for previously homeless individuals. Designed for environmental sustainability, the complex will include amenities such as a community room and fitness center and offer walkable access to downtown transit and employment. Supported by NJHMFA and led by Pike Construction Services, the project was first proposed in 2019 and is now expected to be completed by mid-2025.
NB Plaza
In mid-July 2024, the New Brunswick Housing and Redevelopment Authority unanimously approved plans for the 45-story, 800-unit NB Plaza, an apartment building to be built on a vacant lot on Neilson Street, behind the Abundant Life Family Worship Church. The project, led by NB Plaza Owner Urban Renewal LLC—a partnership between developer Ifany LLC and the church—includes 160 low- and moderate-income units, doubling the initially proposed 80 units. This change allows the developers to take advantage of the state’s Aspire Program, which covers up to 60 percent of construction costs through low-income housing tax credits. The $350 million mixed-use development, located close to the site of the Stirlingside Residences, will also feature commercial space and a 501-space parking deck, with 50 spaces reserved for the church. As part of the Lower George II Redevelopment Plan, the project is expected to move forward with Planning Board approvals in the near future.

The Liv
A 98-year-old building in downtown New Brunswick, home to the Elks Lodge, will be demolished to make way for a 23-story high-rise called The Liv. The development, proposed by New Street Associates LLC, a subsidiary of Weiss Properties, will replace the current three-story building at 40 Livingston Avenue. The Elks Lodge will gain 6,840 square feet of space on the ground floor of the new building, which will also include retail space, a 356-vehicle garage, and 407 residential units. The plan includes amenities like a fitness center, outdoor pool, and rooftop deck but does not feature any affordable housing. The Liv received unanimous approval from the New Brunswick Planning Board in January 2024 and plans to start construction in early 2025.
Looking Ahead
The HELIX project stands as a testament to New Brunswick’s ambition and forward-thinking approach to urban development. By leveraging its status as a designated New Jersey Transit Village and its current and historic connections to scientific discovery and education, the city aims to create a thriving, interconnected community that supports innovation, economic growth, and a high quality of life. However, while New Brunswick seeks to appeal to professionals in the corporate, medical, and academic sectors through luxury developments and strategic investments, it—like many redeveloping cities—faces significant challenges with housing affordability. The city’s focus on attracting a higher-income population has contributed to rising housing costs, making it increasingly difficult for long-term residents to find affordable housing. As construction progresses and phases are completed, New Brunswick is poised to become a model for other cities seeking to revitalize their urban cores through transit-oriented development and strategic investments in key sectors. However, in order to preserve housing for existing residents and prevent displacement, the city will have to expand affordable housing options, provide pathways towards homeownership and ensure that new development remains inclusive, with policies that protect vulnerable populations from being priced out of their own neighborhoods. By balancing growth with equitable development, New Brunswick can create a more sustainable and diverse community that benefits both newcomers and long-time residents.
New Brunswick as a Transit Village

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s designation of the New Brunswick Station area as a New Jersey Transit Village highlights the city’s commitment to promoting smart growth around its transit facility. The New Jersey Transit Village Initiative supports the creation of create dense, mixed-use communities that reduce car dependency, enhance walkability, and attract residents. In New Brunswick, this initiative has spurred significant development, resulting in new housing units and commercial spaces, particularly in the city’s corporate, medical, and academic sectors.
Resources
$49M in Upgrades Announced for New Brunswick Train Station | City of New Brunswick
45-Story Apartment Building Planned for George Street Proposes 160 Affordable Units | TAPinto New Brunswick
American Community Survey 2023: 5-Year Estimates
Big Plans Approved for Bayard Street, Including Expensive 22-Story Tower | New Brunswick Today
Developer Reducing Size of New Brunswick Tower, but Adding Affordable 3-Bedroom Units | TAPinto New Brunswick
Groundbreaking Held for Stirlingside Residences:53 Homes for Families | City of New Brunswick
HELIX Hits Another Home: J&J to Take Space at Life Science Center| ROI-NJ
HELIX NJ Project in New Brunswick’s Innovation District Marks a Milestone | NJBIA
New Brunswick Approves High-Rise, but There Might Be a Legal Hurdle | My Central Jersey
New Brunswick Fully Approves New 30-Story Tower from Boraie Development | Jersey Digs
New Jersey’s First Freestanding Cancer Hospital | RWJBarnabas Health
The Helix | Robert Wood Johnson Medical School